Insurance tips following winter storms
Try to be there when the insurance company comes to inspects the damage. If you can’t stay in your home, leave a note with information on where you can be reached.
Keep a list of everyone you talk to at your insurance company. Be ready to answer questions about the damage.
Ask about additional living expenses. If you’re can’t live in your home due to the damage, your insurance policy may pay for some of those expenses.
Avoid fraud
- Get more than one bid. That will help you decide which offers are too high or too good to be true.
- Check references and phone numbers. Call the Better Business Bureau to see if a contractor has complaints.
- Don’t pay up front and don’t make your final payment until the job is finished. In a disaster, contractors from outside your area can’t ask for payment before they start work.
- Avoid contractors who offer to waive your deductible or promise a rebate for it. That’s illegal under state law and your insurance company may ask for proof that you paid it.
- Never sign a contract with blank spaces.
- Report possible price gouging to the Office of the Attorney General.
For more information, see: Help after the storm
